Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Yes you read right! And it was not a typo, I am
asking a genuine question and I think it is a serious one. It is possible to
claim you believe in God and yet in actual fact you really do not believe in
him. I strongly believe how a person lives says everything about what they
believe. What you believe to be true- corresponding to reality is going to
affect what you do (lifestyle). Let’s say I told you there is a bomb in the
room and the timer says it will explode in 30 seconds and you say you believe
me, but you remain unmoved and continue with your business. Either you have a
death wish or you do not actually believe what I said. Your mouth claimed one
thing but your actions said something else. Our actions and not necessarily our
words will ultimately show what we believe.

Every sin springs from unbelief. Our actions,
feelings and attitude spring from our thoughts. Whatever we think is true about
God, our lives and circumstances will lead to feelings, attitude and actions. For
example, if I think God is not in control in my life I will soon become
discontent when things don’t go my way and it will lead me to take control of things
and do it my way. If I don’t think God sees all things and knows all things, I will
think I can get away with my thoughts and actions done in secret. Now one may
proclaim with their mouth that God is all knowing but yet proceed to live a hypocritical
and pretentious life and in the process confirm what they actually believe.

And it brings me back to the question, are you
a Christian Atheist? Do you really believe the God of the bible exists? Do you
believe He is who he says He is? And that all His attributes are true? If that
is so, is your life a testimony of what you believe? Or are the words of
scripture true of you when it says: For what can be known about God is
plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes,
namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever
since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are
without excuse. For although they
knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became
futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans
1:19-21)

So what truths about God are you
struggling with? Which of God’s attributes do you not believe at the moment? Are
struggling with His sovereignty? Do you doubt His love, are you thinking He is
not sufficient? Do you doubt His power and wisdom? Or maybe it is His grace and
mercy? Do you struggle to believe that He is a just God? What do you believe
about God?

“Are you frequently bored and empty,
or restless and agitated? Does your labor seem to you like you are chasing
after wind? Do you despise the routine and constraints of life? Is all your
activity merely to dull the pain of an empty life? Are you frequently depressed
and discouraged? Do you often feel alone, rejected and abandoned? Do you look
for action because you have a hard time when left by yourself? Are you afraid
to be by yourself because your thoughts when alone are too painful? God is
poking you and reminding you that’s not how you ought to live. “(Berg, The
secret to success. Lesson 3). Life in this world will only make sense and have
meaning when we humbly turn to God and in faith submit our lives in worship and
service.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

I came
across a prayer that was posted on Facebook this past week. And it was a prayer
for President Lungu. The prayer said in part:

“Let every COFFIN they have prepared for the president
catch fire right now and burn to ashes in Jesus mighty name. Let every shrine
and every evil altar bearing the Presidents image catch fire in the mighty name
of Jesus. May the place they are monitoring him from catch fire and collapse in
Jesus name. Every coven assigned to monitor his life with whatever gadgets they
are using be stricken with blindness in the name of Jesus. May every spell,
sickness or disease manufactured from the underworld that will swimmingly
appear as a genuine medical problem expire by fire in Jesus name.”

Prayers like this one have an under lying theology and they force us to
ask the all-important question; who is in charge? Is it God? Is it the devil
and his evil spirits? Or is it man? Who exactly is in charge of the happenings
of life? Who determines what happens, when it happens, how it happens and to
whom it happens? People who see the need to declare and decree even death
clearly believe the devil is in charge and in control of what’s going on this
earth. They are convinced that the devil can frustrate the purposes of God and
therefore they have to help God and unlock his power!

Thankfully God has not left us in the dark on this matter, for the bible
is very clear on who is in charge and in control on the earth. That God is
indeed sovereign is evident from the following texts. “Our God is in the
heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3). “All the inhabitants of the
earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the
host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his
hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Dan. 4:35). “Whatever the LORD
pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Ps.
135:6). “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be
thwarted” (Job 42:2). God is “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings
and Lord of lords< to him be honor and eternal dominion” (1Tim. 6:15, 16).

Our God has both the authority and power to do as he pleases and no one
can stop him. Furthermore nothing happens on this earth that is outside God’s
purposes, because whatever happens in this world has been decreed by God this
includes:

DEATH: “Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is
with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5).

RULERS: “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
he turns it wherever he will” (Prov. 21:1).

ACCIDENTAL SMALL DETAILS: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every
decision is from the LORD” (Prov. 16:33). “Are not two sparrows sold for a
penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But
even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Mt. 10:29, 30).

ELECTION UNTO SALVATION: “though they were not yet born and had done
nothing either good or bad – in order that God's purpose of election might
continue, not because of works but because of his call” (Rom. 9:11).

DESTINY OF THE WICKED: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who
long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the
grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”
(Jude 4).

This truth should be a source of great comfort to us, to know that the All powerful, loving, gracious and long suffering God is in total control of our lives and the happenings around us, what a blessing! We can only say with the 24 elders in Revelation 4:11 "Worthy are you, our
Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created"

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Today’s church is crying out for men
and women who are burdened about something about the glory of God. And invariably if burdened people is the need of the church it is the need of the world. We are in desperate need of people
who have a single passion and will be dedicated to pursue their passion with
all of their being. The eyes of the Lord are roaming the earth; they are
searching for those who are resolved to stand in the gap on before of the
nations. The world and the church need men and women who are burdened for God's glory, God's word and God's ways! We desperately need a Paul, An Augustine, A Martin and Calvin, We need young people who have a single passion and resolve of Johnathan Edwards, the conviction and sacrifice of William Carey, the thundering boldness and earnestness of George Whitefield and the list goes on.

What does the bible say about the
need for burdened people? There is in my mind, no better place to begin than
the amazing account in Ezekiel 9. It
says at least one thing – God takes the absence of a burden among his people
seriously. And we later see in the following chapter that the glory of the Lord departs from among the people. Their hearts were no longer burdened about the glory of God. Else where it was this burden that made
Nehemiah do great exploits for God (Nehemiah 1:4). The oracles of the prophets are referred to
as burdens (Isaiah 13:1, 14:28, 15:1, 17:1, 19:1, 21:1, etc., Nahum 1:1,
Habakkuk 1:1, Malachi 1:1). We also see
this in Paul’s burden in Athens (Acts 17:16-17) and Jesus’ example also in
Matthew 9:36 were His burden for the people moved him with compassion.

Sadly today many Christians seem content with doing just enough, doing what is expected of you. You know? show up for church, teach when you are asked, lead the service, preach if it is your duty, get done with the program and be glad it is out the way, and be content for you are a good enough Christian after all. In fact you are better than most people. The same is true in the world in general people are content with doing just enough, barely survive, excelling at something is no longer the case, out doing yourself in your labor for the Lord (1 cor 15:58) is not a teaching embraced by many.

“Men of the time, who discern the
signs of the time, the possibilities of the time, the potentials of the time,
as well as the seasons, movements, and dangers of the time become God’s
prophets to His people and the world. Instead of being cast into the mould of
history they make history. Instead of being frustrated by the storms of the
times they ride the crest of the waves triumphantly for God and His cause. Thus
the question is whether we are tradition bound or anchored fearlessly in such a
time as this. Men of the time are urgently needed. While others may survive,
these will triumph and lead the cause of Christ in the triumphs of our Lord”[1]. Rise up oh Men of God!